An extraordinary week with Noah Maze: the experience of learning from him was a daily endorsement of his huge reputation. Noah leads a very strong practice, well beyond the normal comfort zone of at least half the class. But with his meticulous work on the preparation of each pose, and the Anusara based emphasis on correct alignment, every student found that they were able to grasp the requirements of each new asana. As each day went by, although not every pose was mastered, everyone was astonished (and gratified) at the leaps in confidence and achievement they experienced.
Every morning practice lasted for two and a half hours, with a focus on standing and balancing poses and a lot of work on the strength based postures of headstands and handstands. Noah worked through each pose in different ways, teaching his students how it could be approached from sitting, standing and lying down. And, delightfully, he laces his teaching with humour – mimicking the New Joisey ATTITUDE of “whass da big deal?” as he hooked his arms under his knees and spread his hands in mock challenge in order to show the class how to prepare for astavakrasana (Eight Angle Pose); the shrill cry of the peacock he let out in pincha mayurasana (Feathered Peacock Pose)……making everyone relax, laugh, pause, refresh their mind and absorb the confidence he exudes.

Noah helps with a back bend

If I were to single out the greatest gift he gave us during the week, I think it would be exactly that: confidence. He is uncompromising in his demands – but his unwavering belief that it can be done pushes each student into fulfilling intentions they had no idea they could achieve. The class was of very mixed ability: two teachers, several others who had a well established and confident practice and several more who had only practiced yoga for 2 or 3 years – and one man who was just one month in. Each and every one knew they had taken bounds in their practice and in their understanding of what was possible for them.
There was more: time for teaching the life-affirming philosophy behind the Anusara practice, for meditation and chanting, for friendship and laughter within the group, for good food and dancing, for Fijian music and kava drinking. And for falling into a deep, exhausted and happy sleep every night. Namaste, Noah.

John Ogilvie is a teacher who challenges and cajoles his students into things they’ve never thought they could do before – and their practice is greatly enhanced in the process. His recent course at the beginning of June had every student doing a handstand by the end of the week – some with his help and some without. Initially nervous, the students worked their way into the posture and found its reward in new confidence. And that’s the way John’s week worked – he introduced new and demanding asanas to the class, helping everyone through with humour, encouragement and, where necessary, a helping hand.

New possibilities opened up. He spent an entire session focussing on Virabhradrasana III, using the wall and the floor to attempt the pose at different angles, encouraging a thorough exploration and understanding of it.

He taught the class how to help partners into poses that stretched the back, working feet into shoulders and pushing in and up. It was quite uncomfortable, but afterwards everyone – and particularly those who had sore backs – found their back muscles relaxed and their overall posture far more comfortable.

One of the students was 5 months pregnant and inevitably John had to adjust the poses for her. It became a lesson in letting go for her, as she realised that her usual command of her body had to be softened and she had to give in gracefully to the demands of the baby.

There were two practices a day, one as the sun rose and one in the evening as it set. In between there was time for all the good things Fiji has to offer – swimming, snorkelling, kayaking, visiting local villages, having a spa massage and just relaxing.

Sydney Yoga Instructor, Tara Er, who led an Iyengar Yoga retreat at Daku this August entitled “Discover Yourself” shares her experience of the retreat with us below.

It was an early morning start Saturday to embark for departure on an 8:10am flight from Sydney to Nadi. At the airport I excitingly met my students as they arrived. We made our way through customs and regrouped with each other at the gate. Our journey had begun.

Tara and the view from the Yoga Shala

The flight from Sydney to Nadi went well, watching 11/2 movies ensures time passes quickly.
We arrived in Nadi to the beautiful heat of Fiji and I was in heaven. Here we had less than an hour to change planes for Savusavu. We very quickly learned the meaning of Fiji time, which is quite different to Sydney time. Our 3pm flight to Savusavu didn’t depart until around 5pm, an interesting way to be pulled out of Sydney time and introduced to Fiji time.

The plane to Savusavu was a 20 seater and the flight was only one hour. So around 6:30-7pm we arrived at Savusavu airport and then took a shuttle bus to Daku Resort, the sun was just setting and we were ready to unpack our bags, change and reconnect for dinner.

The Fijian staff welcomed us as family. We shared our week with a creative writing group and so joined them at the Dining Table. This meant dinner usually commenced at 7pm, and found us still sitting at the table chatting until 9pm. For lunch and dinner we were summoned by the kitchen drum.

Early Morning Yoga

We began the retreat with a Welcome gathering circle to introduce ourselves to each other and familiarize ourselves with the venue and how the retreat was to run. It was up to the individual of how much she/he wanted to obtain from the retreat. Classes started at 6am for a Silent sitting Meditation followed up by a 6:30-7am Pranayama class, followed up by a 7-9am active asana class, with the focus changing daily. If one arose early enough one could watch the moon setting, it was a beautiful full moon setting over the water, just magic. I had never seen anything like it. It was nature at her best.

After our morning practice we would have some time to ourselves before we reconnected over breakfast. Each day unfolded a little differently with rest or activities taking up our time. We would then gather at the Yoga Shala for our afternoon Restorative practice to recharge our batteries. There was then a short break of free time before we would again gather for dinner.

The Resort had organized some activities for us between our yoga classes and we added a few other activities onto our timetable. Throughout the week we rested, snorkeled, swam, scuba dived, hired a couple of scooters to venture around the island, received a massage, shopped, walked, watched Tapa being made, visited the local village and heard their choir sing – they sounded like Angels, had a meal in Town, checked out a waterfall. Before we knew it our week had come to an end.

It was such a wonderful week and I found myself to be a little sad to have left this exquisite island of paradise. I’ve been encouraged by the responses from the students who participated, assuring me that they will return next year.

Through the Good Morning Show on TVNZ (New Zealand) we offered two places on DeidreLee Allen’s PureBalance YogaPilates course in the first week of June. The winner was Dannette who brought along her sister – and subsequently wrote this lovely letter of appreciation for the week:

I was the winner of the 7-night Yoga Pilates retreat at Daku Resort, Fiji, with Deidre-Lee Allen. I returned home from Fiji on Sunday night, what can I say…thank you SO much, what an absolutely amazing life changing week it was, both for myself and for my sister who I took with me.

The staff at Daku Resort are so wonderful, they welcomed us with open arms as part of their family. Our bure was beautiful, looking straight out onto the ocean, surrounded by gorgeous tropical gardens. The food..wow…from the fresh tropical fruit to the outstanding kokoda, our tastebuds were fully sated.

Purebalance Yoga Pilates with Deidre-Lee Allen… each morning we would be in the yoga shala by 7am, set up on a hill, surrounded by coconut palms and looking out to the ocean, a beautiful tranquil space to start our day. Deidre-Lee is a wonderful teacher and was such an inspiration, her passion for Yoga Pilates shines and somehow she managed to make all of us stretch or bend just that little bit further, or hold that pose for just a few more seconds… magical! We walked away from each session feeling refreshed, relaxed & oh so happy & fortunate to be there, living in the moment.

Our days were filled with snorkelling, visiting local villages, a boat trip, beach picnic, swimming… or just lazing around the pool drinking pina coladas, ahh, bliss! It was fabulous to have a week with my sister Linda, she & the others doing the course are all amazing strong women whom I feel very lucky to have shared a week in paradise with.

Daku Resort now has a small piece of my heart, magical memories made.

Thank you Good Morning, if I could’ve taken you all with me I would’ve!

The yoga shala at Daku has been a work in progress for the last few months, and we completed it in time for Mark Whitwell’s Heart of Yoga course in December. Mark himself conducted an opening ceremony and blessed the shala, in particular thanking the men who had built it – Tomi, Samu, Rupeni, Jorgi and others. It’s a fantastic structure, set back into the hill behind Daku, with a soaring view over the bay. The main support poles have been cut from the raintrees on Daku land, carried by hand and shoulder up the hill and levered into the ground. The shala has a wonderful feeling of space and tranquility, and Mark and his yogis loved it.

Mark is an exceptional teacher and his week was very successful. The morning practice started relatively late, around 8.30 am, and the evening practice usually ran late as he explored all sorts of ideas with his students – life, health, sex, whatever affects your living. I wasn’t at his course which I was really disappointed to miss – I’ll be there next year. However, I’ve been going up to the shala most days to do my own practice, enjoying the views of the sea to the west, the coconut palms directly in front and the green hillsides to the east. We’re also using it for our spa massages – and even, rather more casually, for card games and a couple of parties.

Last week one of our guests, Wendy, attended the Kundalini Yoga retreat here at Daku lead by Madi Simmons. Wendy had this to say about her blissful time at the retreat:

“Yes, I am still feeling the Fiji spirit and the beautiful Kundalini Yoga effects from Madi Simmons’ Kundalini Yoga retreat. The week there, of course, was not long enough. We all became very good friends and the week just flowed with happiness and good energy.
When the little plane landed at Savusavu airport the first person I saw was J-J standing there in his pink shirt and I felt as though I was coming home. Then when we got to Daku, and Kenni and Raj were there to greet us I felt like I was part of the family.

It was apparent to me that the main concern of the staff at Daku was for our comfort wellbeing and entertainment. The weather was a bit contrary so our activities were modified each day. But Kenni and Raj were always on hand to advise and organise our spur of the moment excursions. One day we decided to do a walking meditation and George and Carlo escorted us with refreshments (on ice!) up hill and down dale but they also gave us an insight into the many plants that were used for different purposes and also the Fijian culture passed down through families.

Unfortunately I became unwell with a nasty virus (the razorblade throat that is running riot at the moment) and Oni came to me everyday with an infusion of leaves and vix vapor rub until I was well. I was so grateful for her no-nonsense caring attitude.

The meals were always plentiful and of a good variety. Keni was always encouraging us to eat more.

I loved the little burres that I stayed in. They are very comfortable and the staff kept them very clean and tidy and gave us beautiful fresh flowers each day.

Madi’s course was a magical experience. This was the second time I have done the course and I received so much from it. Words cannot fully explain the feelings of serenity and peacefulness I felt each day when we did the meditation in the yoga room looking over the water at sunrise. It was truly blissful! Madi is a great teacher and encouraged us with patience and lots of humor. I am looking forward to the next retreat.

It was a great week and the people at Daku made us feel as though we were family and welcomed us with hugs and kisses. They were genuinely sad when we all left and made us promise to come back. Raj had all our flight departures organised and nothing was a serious problem for him.

Yes! I will definitely be back to Daku again. Hopefully I will be able to take my grandaughter next time.

Rachel Hore leads her sixth week from September 26 – October 4 – a choral workshop drawing on her world music songs.

Mike Smith of Radio 2MBS leads a week of Classical Music Appreciation from October 11 – 18.

Tony Backhouse is coming back for a week of Gospel Singing from November 22 – 29.

You can find full details of all the courses at www.paradisecourses.com. If you have any specific questions or are not clear about anything, please get in touch, either by email to paradisecourses@iinet.net.au or by calling us on +61 (02) 9969-4753. We look forward to welcoming you to Daku Resort.

Yoga

This has been a new and very successful introduction this year, and we still have 4 weeks on offer – have a look at www.yogainfiji.com for more details.